Unlock your Rock! Oxford Instruments Tools For Geoscientists

To geoscientists, microanalysis typically connects macro scale observational data, like outcrops and hand samples, to highly sensitive micron-scale data, like trace elements and isotopes. Often, it provides the first instance of elemental information and helps transcend cm to nm scales.

Though imperative in many workflows, microanalysis comes with significant pain points and time sinks, including:     

1) Building classification schemes.

2) Translating elemental abundances into minerals.

3) Zeroing in on small, sparse phases.

4) Quantitative analysis, typically performed on a microprobe

This tutorial demonstrates how Oxford Instrument’s technology can circumnavigate these common problems, providing a streamlined, accessible and informative bridge between the macro and nano scales.

Specifically, we uncover the dynamic magmatic system at Mt. Pinatubo, revealing mineral chemistry, dissecting trends in amphibole composition, targeting sparse apatite phases, and getting an insight into volatile dynamics. The workflow demonstration follows the typical layering of petrogenetic information provided during microanalysis. It includes the integration of backscattered electron and X-ray (BEX) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) technologies. Throughout, we demonstrate software functionality, providing an accessible, reliable and user-friendly experience.

You will learn: